by Norman Tebbit
Events move on in the Murdoch saga so quickly that is hard to keep up to date. There is also the risk that because of its drama it obscures other important events, such as those in Libya, Tunisia and the Middle East – and those in Europe.
Perhaps following the example set by Rupert Murdoch, Maria Damanaki apologised last week for the damage done by the EU fishing policy, declaring that if it was not radically changed “our children will see fish, not on their plates, but only in pictures”.
The policy has brought once common species to the brink of extinction.
The problem is not just one of the policy on discards, bad as that is. Nor is it just a lack of will to reduce the number of fishing vessels and the catch quotas. Nor is it just that Heath gave away control of our fishing areas and allowed them to be looted by our “partners”.
The hard fact is that whilst many people and organisations have an interest in taking fish, no one other than governmental organisations has any obligation to increase the number of fish in the sea. The fishing industry takes no interest in increasing stocks. There are plenty of would-be reapers, but not a sower in sight.
So another EU disaster rolls on. There will be fewer British fishermen, fewer fish in British waters, higher prices for fish and nothing to stop the Spanish and others from ignoring the rules.
Fish, interference in our system of justice, ever-higher demands for money, a smouldering economic crisis – surely it is time for the political establishment to give up its infatuation with the would-be European Empire.
It is no good William Hague trumpeting that the EU will not in future be allowed to acquire new powers without the consent of the British people given in a referendum. It already has the powers it needs to over ride our Parliament and impose its will on us across a huge swathe of our national life. Why are we still unable to make our own fisheries policies in our own waters?
There is now a need not just to prevent the EU from taking new powers over us, but to take back powers from the EU. That cannot be done by fiddling about with the Treaty of Rome. That needs to be torn up and replaced by a new European Treaty of Co-operation. If Our Masters In Brussels are unwilling to do that, we must exercise our sovereign right to leave the organisation which is dragging down even Germany, let alone the weaker economies, and regain the right to govern ourselves.
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There were several themes in your comments on my most recent blog post. There were still a few of those who resolutely refuse to read what I write. I suppose monostatos is typical of those, with his demand that I should say whether I am in favour or against phone hacking. Thank you Damocles and all change for giving him the quotes. I hope he read them. He also regarded it, as did poor olcrom, as unfair to mention the media crook and Labour MP, Bob Maxwell. I can’t think why.
Of course the fact that the Daily Mirror pension fund went missing does not excuse the misdeeds and criminality within News International. The point is that such things are not unprecedented.
Then king womble demanded to know if I am in favour of the pursuit of the wicked. Oh, for goodness sake! Read what I wrote.
I am afraid that Robinson F also got himself in a muddle suggesting that my fire has been directed against the Left rather than at Murdoch. Again, I do ask him to re-read what I said. Of course I condemned any and all illegality at News Corp and said those responsible should be brought to justice. Hypocrisy is, however, not a criminal offence, nor is purblind refusal to read or understand what I write, but I do think I should be allowed to condemn it. Whether psmith1 likes it or not I think I am entitled to show up the double standards of some of my critics.
Despite that, I will resist the temptation, held out to me by poliphobic, to comment on the merits of Mr Keith Vaz being involved in an enquiry about veracity, and indeed to comment on the call from Lord Prescott in the Lords on Friday for decency in public life.
As wakeuptheworld observed, I am from a different world and I should ignore the abuse, even from chiefwhippet who thought it unethical that having served in the RAF and RAuxAF I should have become a civil pilot.
I found it hard to follow werdoomed’s point about illegally publishing information held by the government and illegally publishing information about individuals. If the publication is illegal it should be prosecuted. There is a separate discussion to be had about what should be a state secret and the extent to which an individual’s conduct is private or public.
Joss Wynne Evans asked whether, if he broke the promise he had given to observe the Official Secrets Act, he should be prosecuted. That would be a matter to be decided by the authorities. The outcome of any trial would be for the jury.
SocialTrap wrote about information being illegally held by politicans. If it is, it should be stopped and those responsible called to acccount. I suspect however that what he has in mind is that he would like to have information legally withheld.
I noticed that many of you, including overlord and henrietta, are concerned that the BBC operates to a political agenda of its own and that if BSkyB were to be brought down choice would be badly restricted. I agree. What is more, I prefer to watch sport on Sky, not least because the commentators are not only very knowledgeable, but they are always appropriately dressed.
There was a lot of criticism of the way in which Cameron has handled this whole affair. Many posts (including those from mitchelJ, rachel 11, peta, bella, Tom197482, grant69, Bellaghyman, henrietta, jackfrost, Jim Watford and What Now) linked that to his inexperience, not just in politics, but in anything outside the media and the Westminster village. Possibly the funniest post was from Goat Fakir who declared that in contrast MilliEd was experienced. As Delboy 36 asked, ‘At what?’
I should point out to burleyman and ian hardie that at the time of my original remarks about Hari, he had not been condemned from the Left. Since then he has been roundly condemned from all sides.
In the same way, I should, like haymaker, pay tribute to The Guardian for its part in exposing the wrongdoing at NewsCorp. It is a pity that it was not done while Blair or Brown were Prime Minister, but then the Right-wing press failed on that too.
I read Robbie Bett’s post with care. Wilfully or not, I think he still fails to distinguish between my condemnation of two different matters. The first is of course the goings on at NewsCorp, the second is the hypocrisy of the Left. One would never think that not long ago Murdoch and co were all chums with Brown and Blair.
Nor do I think I accused Robbie Bett of using foul language towards me. I am sure that it is unwise to go into a school playground “did, yah boo, didn’t” exchange. Nor will I.
I should also thank Wilfulsprite, frankie, uberwest, lord lucan and others for their entertaining exchanges. Thank you too youtubejohn for the link to that 1988 interview with Michael Aspell. It was nice to see it again.
Finally, as ever, darkseid was full of interesting thoughts, not all of which I could take up. However, I should thank him for his perceptive personal remark, so perceptive that I just wondered if I am right to use the masculine gender in referring to him.
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